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Living the High Life

Living the High Life

As a newcomer to the city, it sometimes feels unreal that I’m here. I’m actually in the city that so many movies, TV shows and books inspired me to join. Going to the Top of the Strand rooftop bar, however, a space styled by Lydia Marks (the designer on films like The Devil Wears Prada and Sex and the City), drops me front and center in the New York I’ve been dreaming about.

The space is modern yet intimate, offering guests choices from plush couch seating under canopies, to chairs at the bar with a stunning view of the surrounding architecture, like the Empire State Building. There really isn’t a bad seat in this rooftop lounge. While the view brings many people into the bar, it can’t be enjoyed to its fullest potential without a indulgent cocktail. Sip and stare with specialty drinks like the “strandhattan” (woodford reserve, carpano antica, cherry herring and brandied cherry) or the strawberry gimlet (fresh strawberries, vodka and lime). Guests need not go hungry, either, with bites like the wild mushroom flatbread pizza (ricotta, mozzarella and foraged mushrooms) and the yellow fin tuna tacos (aji Amarillo, cilantro and yellow peppers).

With the promise of quenched thirsts and full bellies, the only other worry might be the weather but the retractable glass roof allows you to enjoy the venue indoors or out. Whether it was Sex and the City, The Devil Wears Prada, When Harry Met Sally, Breakfast at Tiffany’s or the other hundreds of films that inspired my wanderlust, I found my movie moment while staring at the Empire State Building at Top of the Strand.